Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio adressed the parting of ways with former signee Jay Harris during a break during a university business leadership seminar he was speaking at.Josh Slagter | MLive.com

EAST LANSING — Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio explained why the Spartans are no longer extending a scholarship offer to former receiver signee Jay Harris, who has received national attention after announcing he was quitting football to pursue rap music.

"There are certain expectations we expect to be held if you are a Michigan State football player,'' Dantonio said on Thursday following his presentation at a university seminar for business leaders.

"You have to have the commitment, you have to communicate, and there has to be trust. When there's a breakdown in those areas, you have to part ways.''

Harris released a YouTube music video with explicit lyrics a month ago, at which time the initiation of a mutual parting of ways began.

Dantonio indicated part of the breakdown with Harris involved others in Harris' support network in Dowingtown, Pa., some 30 miles west of Philadelphia.

"When the breakdown becomes severe enough that it's quantified by the people are involved in his daily life, then it's time to make a decision,'' Dantonio said. "That's what we stand for.''

Indeed, Dantonio has created a family atmosphere within the Michigan State program in his six years as head coach while also leading the team to four wins over rival Michigan over the past five seasons and a school-record six-season bowl streak.

Dantonio said when he recruits players, it amounts to the student-athlete entering into an agreement with the coaching staff and future teammates, and he expects signees to embrace team standards and goals.

"If you can't do those things on the get go, and if it's collaborated on the people that work with him on the grass roots area where he's from, then what are you doing?'' Dantonio said. "Then, you need to reassess, and that's what we did, we reassessed.

"You don't want to have it go in that direction, (but) when there's writing on the wall, and there's evidence of a lack in those three areas, a mutual lack …''

Dantonio shows a fierce loyalty to his coaches and players, insisting on taking the blame after losses and not identifying individual player breakdowns.

That loyalty has largely been reciprocated on the recruiting trails; Michigan State has had only three commitments "flip" during Dantonio's seven-year recruiting class tenure.

"You have to bring people here that are like-minded,'' Dantonio said. "If they're not, then they're not gonna be happy.''